Alistair Overeem Wants to Get Licensed by Nevada Sooner Than You'd Think

Alistair Overeem isn't due back in the Octagon until, at the very earliest, the end of this year. That's because his suspension from failing a drug test earlier this year won't end until December, and the UFC obviously isn't going to use him—in Nevada or any other state or country, for that matter—until his legal issues with the Nevada commission are resolved.

That’s my goal. I know that the UFC will not promote me on their card as long as I’m not licensed. That being said, we’re going to try to get licensed sooner and I’m confident that I will succeed.

The beautiful part about this news? He'll probably succeed.

After all, the Nevada commission proved back in April that they're really, really grateful for Overeem's decision to fight in their state. They practically begged him to consider fighting in December on the UFC's big year-end card, and they only gave him a 9-month suspension instead of the regular full year doled out to other offenders such as Cris Cyborg.

If Overeem can get licensed before his scheduled date in December, there's little doubt in my mind that he'll be involved on the UFC's final event of the year. The biggest question: who would he fight?

With Cain and Junior dos Santos not scheduled to square off until October at the very earliest, I can't imagine either of them surviving without taking much punishment. That would require the winner to sit on the shelf for a little bit in order to recuperate, which means Overeem would need to face a different opponent.

Who's the best candidate? My vote, and you knew this was coming, goes to Daniel Cormier. He fights for the final time in Strikeforce in September. Assuming he wins that fight—against an opponent completely unknown at this point—Cormier should be ready to make his UFC debut in December, providing he doesn't break either of his hands again.